Music

Life is full of great things—baseball, roller coasters, films, safety pins, Mission Street Burritos, The Wire, books, red wine….but music is the best thing in life. My first albums bought for me by my parents for Christmas were Never Mind the Bollocks, Rodney on the Rock Vol. I, Devo, and The Beach Boys. From then on, music got me through everything in life. I spent many hours as a teenager sitting in my room reading album lyrics, trying to figure out the guitar and organizing my records. I can still think of nothing better than listening to music with good friends late at night….

Here is a short list of my favorites. The photo is of Elvis’ grave at Graceland, which I will report on in a future post.

Top Bands List (in no certain order)

Rolling Stones- Great albums from the sixties to the early 80’s. Many styles, excellent lyrics, musicianship. Ultimate rock stars with lifestyles that set the standard for how a rock star should dress, act, live and die. Just remember that this is Keith’s band and Exile, while flawed, is the masterpiece. Sticky Fingers! Experienced them with Guns and Roses at the Coliseum.

The Clash—Politics, ska, drugs, style. The first album was the beginning of punk rock as we know it. Sure, the Pistols, Stooges, and the Ramones may have been there a little earlier, but the Clash were the whole modern punk package. As they tried different styles of music and hairstyles, it got a bit watered down, but always they remained cool and relevant. Never saw em. Missed the US Festival.

Bob Dylan-- Not really a band but still the greatest lyrical genius since Shakespeare. It was almost mystical how he wrote hundreds of songs that rival some of the greatest classical poetry ever written. Even he can’t seem to explain it, and I like the weird religious stages and accidents and disappearances. His interviews are must reading along with the film “Don’t Look Back.” And he could rock if needed. Maintained rock star image 24/7. Saw him at the Antelope Valley Festival a few years ago.

Iggy and the Stooges—Only three albums but Iggy was cutting himself on stage, smearing himself with peanut butter, dressed in women’s clothing while screaming “I Feel Alright!” in 1967. Way ahead of his time. The music was like grunge power metal punk not tainted by talent. These guys could barely play but rocked like none other. After the stooges, Iggy was homeless then fled to Berlin with David Bowie and reinvented himself as a pop alternative act. And still stayed important and prolific. Still rocking and looking sickly well. Saw him at a small club in Santa Barbara one time.

Tom Waits—Can write like Dylan but is also a musical genius and plays almost all of his instruments. One of the better actors and interviews anywhere. Very intelligent. Early career made drunken bowery piano music while keeping up a witty comic act on stage. Moved into more avant garde type stuff later. Moves down on the list because he has kind of given up lately. His music makes me cry. Boo ‘frickin Hoo. Saw him at the Wiltern years ago. Amazing.

Great Bands that made one or two really good albums

Sex Pistols—Only one album and then self-destruction. But it changed all of music as we know it. Rotten’s snarl and the guitar booming caused a whole generation to poke safety pins through their cheeks, put on boots and tell their parents off. The lyrics were so unheard of at the time “I am an antichrist. I am an anarchist! Don’t know what I want but I know how to get it.” “No Future for England” Brilliant!! And they looked cool. One of the greatest losses was that they only did one album and that the extremely lame Sid Vicious is associated with them, but the way that they disintegrated was perfectly punk and authentic.

Pavement—Two brilliant albums that came out of nowhere and caused all of the post-punks to ask WTF? Poetic lyrics that made no sense. An emo skinny singer and a band of total geeks making beautiful complicated music. Everyone who hears them, loves them. They did not care about success and had no rock star attitude.

NWA- That one album was so scary and demented. Everyone took notice.

Velvet Underground—Dark glasses, urban white artist pretend-junkies, abstract films, 10 minute songs with only feedback in the sixties. Ahead of their time. Didn’t sell many records, but according to someone who knows, everyone who bought a record formed their own band. Hugely influential on many levels.